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Evaluation Plan
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of the educational program aimed at improving the quality of life of children suffering from asthma. It has been estimated that approximately 7 million of American children are diagnosed with this disorder (Rapp et al., 2017). Asthma can have various serious complications or even lead to life-threatening conditions if untreated. This illness is also associated with certain inconveniences such as the need to visit doctors, take medication, limit one’s physical activity, and the like. The use of educational programs and some postdischarge interventions have proved to lead to decreased readmission rates (Branowicki et al., 2017). However, little attention is paid to caregivers’ attitudes towards the programs, which calls for the corresponding research.
Clinical Question
The PICOT question is as follows: In African American children (P), will proper education on asthma management (I) compare to no education (C), help to reduce disruption of daily lives (O), over a one-year period (T)? This clinical inquiry is consistent with the purpose of the study. It enables the researcher to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention through comparing patients who received it and those who did not get the educational services.
Time
The one-year period is sufficient for the identification of the outcomes of the program. Longer programs will need more resources that are often scarce while one year is enough for patients to gain knowledge and use it (in case the intervention is effective). Furthermore, this time is sufficient for the detection of any gaps and weakness that can be improved, and a new program can be developed.
Stakeholders
As has been mentioned above, millions of American pediatric patients suffer from asthma. The disorder causes various inconveniences that can make children’s lives less happy and can even negatively affect their development. Nursing professionals also need the skills to provide educational services, and the development of the intervention can considerably improve the quality of care they provide.
Methods
Theoretical Framework
The theoretical background of this study is pragmatism. This framework implies the use of mixed methods as it is believed that researchers must employ the most appropriate instruments to address the research questions (Moule, Aveyard, & Goodman, 2016). According to this paradigm, it is essential to identify trends and explore stakeholders’ attitudes towards them or the meanings that arise.
Design
The proposed research is based on the quasi-experimental research design. The participants will be divided into two groups. One of these groups will receive the educational intervention, and the control group will have the conventional treatment. As has been mentioned above both qualitative and quantitative methods will be utilized.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality and anonymity will be ensured as the names and other personal data will not be disclosed. All sensitive data will be stored on the researcher’s computer, and no third parties will have access to this information. The participants will sign the written consent form that will include confidentiality aspects.
Sample/Setting/Procedure
The participants will be pediatric patients receiving asthma-related care and their caregivers. 200 children between 6 and 9 years old and 200 caregivers (one adult per patient) will be included. The participants will be divided into two groups. The experimental group will receive training in the clinical setting as well as with the help of technology (computer-based communication). The intervention will last for eleven months. The caregivers will complete surveys at the start of the intervention and three and six months after the beginning of the program. After the completion of the educational intervention, the adult participants will complete surveys and take part in focus group discussions.
Instrument
To collect the data for the evaluation of the program, readmission data will be collected. The cases or readmission among the participants will be calculated and compared. The Childhood Asthma Risk Assessment Tool (CARAT) will be used to evaluate the quality of life of the patients (Rapp et al., 2017). Focus groups will consist of 8-10 participants. They will be volunteering caregivers as the participants will be informed about the focus group discussions at the beginning of the research. Three discussions will be implemented. The discussions will address such areas as the effectiveness of the program, the quality of the provided educational services, limitations and gaps of the intervention, and so forth.
Data analysis
The quantitative data will be collected with the help of computer-based technology. The participants’ answers during focus group discussions will be digitally recorded and analyzed manually and with the help of content-analysis software. The use of technology will enhance the validity of data and minimize the researcher bias.
Outcomes to be Evaluated
Readmission cases will be analyzed. The increase in such cases will be regarded as a factor revealing some limitations of the program. The improvements of the patients’ quality of life based on the surveys will also be evaluated. The adult participants’ perspectives on the program, its effectiveness, gaps and other aspects will be considered as well.
Project Dissemination
The results of the research will be disseminated in several ways. The findings will be revealed in the article that will be published in a nursing peer-reviewed journal. The links to the digital version of the article will be provided to all the nursing staff through the corporate mail. The results and implications will be discussed during regular meetings.
References
Branowicki, P., Vessey, J., Graham, D., McCabe, M., Clapp, A., Blaine, K., … Berry, J. G. (2017). Meta-analysis of clinical trials that evaluate the effectiveness of hospital-initiated postdischarge interventions on hospital readmission. Journal for Healthcare Quality, 39(6), 354-366.
Moule, P., Aveyard, H., & Goodman, M. (2016). Nursing research: An introduction (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Rapp, K., Jack, L., Wilson, C., Hayes, S., Post, R., McKnight, E., & Malveaux, F. (2017). Improving asthma-related outcomes among children participating in the Head-Off Environmental Asthma in Louisiana (HEAL), phase II study. Health Promotion Practice, 19(2), 233-239.
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